Fr. Philip Dehner
Father Philip Dehner, dies at age 90
Father Philip Dehner, OCSO, monk and priest of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit died peacefully on Thursday December 4, 2008 in the monastery infirmary with his brothers at his bedside. He was 90 years old. The last few years of Fr. Philip's life were spent being cared for in the monastery infirmary. Fr. Philip, known as Thomas Raymond before entering monastic life, was born on March 16, 1918 in Burlington, Iowa. He was one of eight siblings. On August 21, 1947 Thomas Dehner entered Holy Spirit monastery. A year later, he received the novice habit with the religious name Philip.
Two years later, on September 13, 1949, at the age of 60, Fr Philip's father followed him into the monastery and would become known as Brother Ambrose. His father not only believed his words told to his son about the power of prayer, he wanted to live them himself.
Fr. Philip professed solemn vows as a monk of our order on November 1, 1952 and was ordained to the priesthood on May 3, 1953. For 30 years, Fr. Philip and Br. Ambrose, father and son, shared the life of monastic prayer, work, and contemplation until Br. Ambrose died in 1978 while Fr. Philip was saying Mass. Fr. Philip has devoted himself to monastic life for 60 years. For 55 years, he has offered the sacrifice of the Mass for the world. His self-giving is resultant of his giving God a chance to work through his life.
Remembering Philip by Fr James Behrens
Certain words take on a new and loved meaning when they come to life through how a person takes them to heart and lives them. Kindness and gentleness are words that I will always associate with our Father Philip. He passed away on December 4th. He suffered with Alzheimer's disease for ten years and was in our infirmary all that time.
When I entered the monastery in 1994, Philip was still an active member of our community. He was a monk for 61 years. I can see him in my mind's eye, slowly making his way from the stained-glass studio, walking toward the main building when it came time for midday prayer. He walked with care since he had a fear of falling. He had a ready smile and a soft-heartedness that never left him, even when most of his faculties were taken away from him by the disease.
I have been told that he was a worrier in his earlier years. As I knew him he grew to be more accepting of things that came his way. He was easy to love, and as Mark our infirmarian and Rose our nurse can tell you, easy to care for. Mark tells me that Philip's gentle and accepting presence is missed in our infirmary.
Philip was laid to rest next to his father, Brother Ambrose, who entered our community not long after Philip's mom passed away. Father Philip cared for his dad in his declining years with the same gentle love his parents had blessed him with. When Dom Francis Michael mentioned that in his homily at Philip's funeral, I thought how beautiful and indeed rare it was to have a son and a father share this life and move from this life into eternity, helping each other along that way.